Lessons from the Louvre: How to avoid pickpockets

Thirty-five years ago, while traveling with my family in Paris, I got a firsthand lesson in how to thwart a pickpocket. Soon after we'd boarded a crowded metro, a would-be thief tried to lift my father-in-law's wallet - but was stymied by the thick rubber band my savvy relative had attached inside his jacket pocket with a safety pin.

This week's one-say closure of The Louvre highlights a growing problem of pickpockets.(Photo: David De Lossy Getty Images)

It was a tip I've never forgotten, and one that seems to be needed more now than it did then. Earlier this week, staffers at Paris' Louvre - the world's most popular museum - walked off their jobs in protest of what they claimed was a growing problem of aggressive pickpockets operating within the museum and targeting tourists, many of them Chinese and Russians carrying large amounts of cash.

"There have always been pickpockets at the Louvre and in tourist locations in Paris, but for the last year-and-a-half the gangs have become increasingly violent. Their modus operandi has become more complex. Nothing can stop them, " Sophie Aguirre, a supervisor at the museum, told the BBC.

Paul Roll, director of the city's tourism office, told London's Telegraph the Louvre was being targeted because it is "a private institution, where the young enter for free, and because it's a private space, without controls by the police inside. It's also a setting where visitors are perhaps less likely to be vigilant." He said he hoped tourists would not be put off visiting the city, but admitted "it is a subject that we shouldn't hide from and must take seriously."

- Pare your wallet to the essentials: a single credit/ATM card, one piece of ID, and "no more than €40-50," suggests the embassy website. "A hair brush can be easily replaced, but something like your passport or your social security card is much more difficult and its loss can cause much grief. Make a copy of your passport, and front and back of everything that you have in your wallet. In case something happens, you have all the numbers and contact information to cancel your cards and replace your passport."

- Beware of such popular scams as the "crush and grab" (while you're swarmed by people trying to get on or off a train or bus, someone is also lifting your purse) and the "distraction technique" (someone spills or squirts you, then offers to help clean up the mess while an accomplice is robbing you.)

- Watch out for "broken" ATMs. "Make sure you use one that is well lit, at a reputable bank and not down some dark, deserted alley," the Paris embassy advises. "If the ATM sucks in your card and does not give it back, go into the bank. This is not normal and most likely the ATM has been tampered with by thieves. Don't talk to anyone while you are using the ATM. Walk up, get your money and then get on your way. Recent tactics include people walking up and asking for directions while someone is using the ATM. While they are distracted, the crooks get the pin and card numbers and can then come back and empty your account. Also, put your hand over the pin pad while you are entering your code. That way, no one can see the numbers you enter. If the ATM appears to have been tampered with, DON'T use it."

-Use a purse that zips, and carry it tightly under your arm and slightly in front of you rather than over your shoulder, perfect for opportunistic motorcycle bandits. And never drape it over a chair, where it can be a tempting target.

- Dress down, and leave the designer goods and jewels (even knockoffs) at home. Says Bambi Vincent, co-author of Travel Advisory: How to Avoid Thefts, Cons, and Street Scams While Traveling, "Women come up to me on cruise ships wearing these big gems, and they'll say, 'They're just cubic zirconia.' And I say, 'So what? You're still sending a message to the thieves you're worth (their) while."

- Be aware in heavily touristed spots. "In a world in which 80% of the wealth is controlled by 20% of the population, not everyone flocking to tourist meccas is there for a vacation," notes Nick Cameron, author of The Complete SAS Guide to Safe Travel.

- Watch out at airport security. Never place your laptop or purse on the metal detector conveyor belt until the traveler in front of you has cleared his or her belongings; would-be thieves can intentionally set off the alarm to cause a back-up while their accomplice steals your items.

- Invest in clothing designed to foil thieves, such as Clothing Arts' ingenious Pick-Pocket Proof Pants. Then again, I thought I was home free by keeping my cash in an inside zippered pocket of my Scottevest during a trip to Senegal's pickpocket haven, Goree Island, a few years back. Somehow, I was still fleeced - and to this day, I don't know where or how.